Orders, Decorations and Medals

Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue, 1 clasp, The Great War 1914-18 (Sergt. Sir Henry Craik, K.C.B., P.C., M.P.) nearly extremely fine £40-60

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Henry Craik was born in Glasgow on 18 October 1846, the son of Rev. James Craik, D.D., Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland. He was educated at the High School, Glasgow; at Glasgow University and Balliol College, Oxford, where he was a Scholar and Snell Exhibitioner, and took an honours degree in classics, law and history. He entered the Education Department in 1870, and during 1885-1904 was Secretary of the Scottish Education Department. For his services he was awarded the C.B. in 1887, and appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (London Gazette 25 June 1897). After his retirement in 1904 he became an M.P. in 1906 for the Universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen. He remained an M.P. until his death. During the Great War he volunteered for service as a Special Constable, attaining the rank of Sergeant, of which he said, ‘I do not know that I ever valued any promotion more!’. He was able to claim that he never missed a roll-call, except when detained at the House, and that he had been out in every air raid over London. He retired from the Special Constabulary in 1919. In January 1918 Sir Henry Craik was made a Privy Councillor of Great Britain. He was made a Baronet (Craik of Kennoway) in the New Years Honours of 1926 (London Gazette, 1 January 1926) ‘The Right Honourable Sir Henry Craik, K.C.B., M.A., LL.D., M.P., Member of Parliament for Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities, 1906, and for the Scottish Universities since December, 1918. Secretary of the Scottish Education Department, 1885-1904. For political and public service’. He was an author of several books, including, Selections from Swift, 1893; English Prose Selections, 1892-96; A Century of Scottish History, 1901; Impressions of India, 1908. Sir Henry Craik died on 21 September 1927 and was succeeded in his title by his son, George Lillie Craik, M.C. Sold with newspaper cuttings and copied research.

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